Author: SPY

Two of the three former Hempfield Fire Department volunteer firefighters charged with deliberately setting fires last year will have their cases decided in Lancaster County court.

Joshua Lightcap, 23, of Columbia, and Mason Howard, 21, of Akron, waived their preliminary hearings on Friday.

A 16-year-old junior firefighter from Columbia was also charged, and that case is being handled in juvenile court. That case is still pending.

In a preliminary hearing, prosecutors must present sufficient evidence that a crime was committed and that the person charged probably is responsible and, therefore, a jury or judge should hear the case at the county court level. The hearings often are waived.

According to prosecutors, two of the fires were set to sheds and the rest to fields and brush. All fires occurred between late October and late November in 2024.

No one was injured in any of the fires.

A Nov. 9, 2024, fire in Penn Township destroyed 220 corn fodder bales, causing more than $15,000 worth of damage.

Lightcap’s most serious charges include arson and conspiracy to commit arson, and agricultural vandalism, which are felonies. One of his arson conspiracy charges relates to a Nov. 2, 2024, fire set at an Amtrak building in Landisville.

Howard’s most serious charge is agricultural vandalism.

Other charges Lightcap and Howard face are reckless endangerment, dangerous burning, conspiracy and possession of an instrument of crime.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/ex-hempfield-fire-department-firefighters-headed-to-court-on-firestarting-charges/article_64612bd8-d727-4e98-9ada-568235119548.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Download the 18-page meeting packet HERE.

This week’s photos of Columbia

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.

The SPCA was in town this week.They left notices at a residence.
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Workers used a giant crane to hoist materials onto the roof of the National Watch & Clock Museum. 




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Trucks at the 4th Street truck terminal 

Saturday morning at the Market House 

Signs down!

Historic house on Chestnut 

Free landlord/tenant guides detailing renters rights and other topics are available at the municipal building, 308 Locust Street. The Spanish version (left) contains 97 pages, and the English version has 93. 

This is still in effect. 

Lights on at the bridge plaza

Cannon, partially hidden 

Bricks, partially hidden 

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It’s that time of year.

Please don’t litter.

Possum, not playing possum

Shawnee Run in the morning 

Hidden in plain sight

Out in the open

A formidable doorway at the former Cookman Church

 Now on the 600 block of Chestnut 

Five units are planned near 4th & Linden.

Meeting at Columbia Crossing 

Advertisement along Route 441

Black snake, apparently right after a meal

Two boneheaded beanie buddies

The Cathouse, Columbia, PA

Borough council members

Collection day

Up the highway and onto the sidewalk 

3-wheeler

On March 26, 2025, Manor Street Apartments LLC conveyed 745 Manor St. to WG Sponsor LLC, WG Manor I. LLC, WG Manor II LLC, WG Manor III LLC for $1,500,000. In the sale listing, Bennett Williams described the building as “a workforce housing apartment community…” – whatever that means. The listing also stated “the Property consists of 14 units with an opportunity to build an additional 36-60 new apartments.” 

This structure at 1020 Manor is slated for demolition.  

It’s wise to be prepared. 

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Here are a few from Todd Stahl:

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Low-hanging branches on South 4th

[Photo: Bull Warfel]

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https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/law-e-dirt-bikes-and-electric-bikes

Borough worker Chuck Wallick hangs a Hometown Hero banner on North 2nd Street Friday afternoon. 

It’s that time of year, and Hometown Hero banners are going up around town again.

The current batch, from an order that closed in January, will bring the total to over 660. The banners honor Columbia’s military veterans and active-duty personnel. 

On Friday afternoon, Columbia Spy caught up with Bob Smith and Chuck Wallick hanging a banner on North 2nd Street. Bob, who leads the project, notes there’s a small challenge this year: PPL is in the process of replacing utility poles around town. That means that banners already hung on poles slated for replacement must be removed, and then rehung on the new poles. PPL has plans to replace several poles this year and routinely notify the borough of which ones will be replaced. “They call Jake [Graham, Columbia’s public works manager] and give him the numbers of the poles they’re replacing,” Bob says.

Bob Smith gets components from the work truck. 

Bob, who’s been with the project for almost three years, says he’s winding down his participation and that this year will be his last. He’s thankful that the borough embraced the initiative from the beginning. “I’d like to thank borough workers and others for all their help on this project,” he said.

 
(English version)

Local renters and others can pick up a copy of the Landlord & Tenant Guide at Borough Hall (Columbia Municipal Building, 308 Locust Street).  The free guide provides information on such topics as fair housing, rights and responsibilities, rent increases, and eviction. There is an English edition and a Spanish edition. 

(Spanish version)

Domino’s, 318 Chestnut St., Columbia, April 24. Pass. Food employees observed involved in food preparation not wearing a beard cover.

JACK PANYARD |LNP Staff Writer

Destiny Delgado-Diaz cried quietly as a judge took a final look over her charging documents Thursday before sentencing her for her role in a 2023 armed carjacking in Columbia.

Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced the 23-year-old Columbia woman to 27 months to 10 years in state prison after she pleaded guilty to seven charges including robbery of a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit strangulation, and conspiracy to commit simple assault.

As part of her plea deal, Delgado-Diaz can be called to testify if either of the two other people charged in the case — Sammie Edward Lane and Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, both of Columbia — go to trial.

Lane, 36, is in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail, and Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, 25, is free on $150,000 unsecured bail. Both are waiting for their next court appearances.

The man the three are accused of attacking in the Dec. 31, 2023, incident nearly blacked out twice as he was strangled, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp said at Thursday’s hearing.

According to prosecutors, Destiny Delgado-Diaz, Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, and Lane lured the man to Columbia, began strangling him, threatened him with a handgun and stole his Dodge Durango SUV and items he had in the vehicle.

Destiny Delgado-Diaz didn’t respond Thursday when Sponaugle asked her how she thought she would not get in trouble for her actions. Her attorney, Roger Renteria, said she was remorseful for what she did and cooperated with police as soon as she was charged.

Sponaugle ended the hearing by warning Delgado-Diaz there is no guarantee she will be released from prison after the minimum sentence.

“Well, you’re off to state prison now,” Sponaugle said.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-woman-sentenced-up-to-10-years-in-state-prison-for-2023-car-theft/article_b4cc9340-730d-4046-a6ed-c3e4d6cee8a9.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

https://local21news.com/news/local/officials-give-update-on-upmc-memorial-hospital-shooting-that-killed-officer-hurt-5-others-west-york-andrew-duarte-york-county-pennsylvania-pa

Columbia Borough police will soon begin stricter enforcement of regulations governing electric bikes and scooters, Mayor Leo Lutz announced at the April 22 borough council meeting.

The crackdown comes in response to the growing popularity of electric vehicles throughout Columbia and elsewhere, which has raised safety concerns among local officials.

“We’re starting to see popular not only in Columbia but all around, e-bikes and e-scooters,” Mayor Lutz stated during the April 22 meeting. “There are regulations for those electric bikes and electric scooters.”

According to Lutz, Police Chief Jack Brommer and his officers have been studying applicable rules and regulations and are preparing to take action against non-compliant riders.

“They are going to start taking action on those who are violators of those electric bikes and electric scooters for non-compliance,” Lutz warned.

Lutz expressed particular concern about safety risks as warmer weather approaches. “We can’t risk people flying around on electric bikes, electric scooters here in the summer and wind up getting seriously injured or, my God, possibly killed,” he emphasized.

The mayor also directed his message to parents, urging them to research regulations before purchasing these vehicles for their children. He cautioned against relying solely on information from retailers, suggesting that sales staff might not fully disclose usage restrictions in their eagerness to complete a sale.

“I just want to advise all parents and the kids to find out what you can do, what you can’t do, and what you should buy and what you shouldn’t buy when you’re getting into that,” Lutz concluded.

The police department has not yet announced when the increased enforcement will begin or what specific violations they will be targeting.

Last year, at the August 27, 2024 Columbia Borough Council meeting, Lutz said that police stepped up enforcement of ordinances governing e-bikes and e-scooters. Riders have been cited for various traffic infractions.

“The guys are stepping it up, and there have been citations,” Lutz said.

Currently, bicycles aren’t permitted on sidewalks, according to borough ordinance. Councilman Peter Stahl noted Police Chief Jack Brommer’s recent reminder that e-scooters are prohibited on borough streets and sidewalks. Stahl said scooters are permitted only in designated areas such as [certain] parks.

The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code “prohibits the use of electric scooters, electric skateboards, and electric unicycles on public roadways.”